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"Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a timeless song that resonates universally within the hearts of people across different cultures and backgrounds. The song has become an anthem for those seeking a connection to a place they can call home, a sanctuary of comfort and belonging.
At its core, the song taps into the universal human experience of longing and nostalgia. The lyrics describe a desire to return to a place of familiarity, where the landscapes are etched into one's soul and the memories linger like a comforting embrace. This sentiment is not bound by geographical boundaries; the iconic line "Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong" captures a sentiment that goes beyond a specific country or region. It speaks to the fundamental human need for a connection to one's roots, a place that feels like a sanctuary where the soul finds solace.
The universality of the song lies in its ability to evoke a sense of yearning for a place that may not be the same for everyone but taps into a shared human experience. Whether you grew up in the mountains of West Virginia, the plains of Africa, or the bustling streets of a city, there's a part of each person's soul that understands the essence of wanting to return to the place our hearts feel at 'home'.
Excerpt from the plaque:
“Stone Xylophone”: I was commissioned to create one of Canada’s first interactive public sculptures, specifically designed for children with Autism. This was one of my most challenging and rewarding projects. It took months of research, simulation programs and direction by government and private agencies. In the end I realized how little I knew about the world of Autism. The resulting sculpture had many components, all inviting a connection to nature through primal activities.
Introducing a musical or sound component that had a vibrational quality was one of the components I wanted to have in the sculpture. Part of the research for the project included purchasing and modifying or taking inspiration from existing creations made of natural materials. This piece was created by Jim Doble in Union, Maine, USA. It was the inspiration for a metal vibration drum that was created for the sculpture. The resulting sounds were what I would consider tribal and universally appealing. When played, the vibrational results could be felt on the entire sculpture.
Construit après le premier Monastère de Bénédictine (1653/1659), acquit plus tard par la municipalité de l'État, il a été restauré avec le lustre d'antan. L'extérieur est simple et austère tandis que l'intérieur se caractérise par ses plafonds très raffinés à caissons en bois peint. Particulièrement décoratifs et précieux les plafonds des Salles des armes, celle des Ordres Militaires et Religieux, celle représentant le blason de duc des Tomasi. Se remarque par son élégance raffinée le plafond de la Salle Angolare décoré de tableaux de la famille Tomasi.
Décrit par Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa dans son célèbre roman "Il Gattopardo" il est universellement connu et admiré. Une visite qui étonne et provoque des émotions, une rencontre avec l'histoire vivante de la ville et de ses fondateurs. Au rez-de-chaussée il y a la bibliothèque municipale "Giovanni Falcone".
Built after the first Benedictine Monastery (1653/1659), later acquired by the state municipality, it has been restored with the chandelier of yesteryear. The exterior is simple and austere while the interior is characterized by its very refined ceilings with painted wooden boxes. Particularly decorative and precious are the ceilings of the Arms Hall, that of the Military and Religious Orders, that representing the coat of arms of the Duke of Tomasi. The Angolare Room ceiling, decorated with paintings by the Tomasi family, stands out for its refined elegance.
Described by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa in his famous novel "Il Gattopardo" he is universally known and admired. A visit that surprises and provokes emotions, a meeting with the living history of the city and its founders. On the ground floor there is the municipal library "Giovanni Falcone".
The Poodle, called the Pudel in German and the Caniche in French, is a breed of water dog. The breed is divided into four varieties based on size, the Standard Poodle, Medium Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle, although the Medium Poodle is not universally recognised. They have a distinctive thick, curly coat that comes in many colors and patterns, with only solid colors recognized by breed registries. Poodles are active and intelligent, and are particularly able to learn from humans. Poodles tend to live 10–18 years, with smaller varieties tending to live longer than larger ones.
Francine was only the second Standard Poodle I've ever seen. Met her near the Dog Park in Walnut Cree, but since had just been to the hair dresser (poodles do not go to groomers), the owner did not want her to associate with so many canines who "appeared to like mud." She was very soft and friendly and she met one breed standard or being ver intelligent. I have to take the owner's word for her being able to solve algebraic equations and since I can't prove a negative, fine, she can solve equations, BUT does she know what to do with the answer?
About two months ago, we had a visit from an apricot Standard Poodle. She had mosied off in the neighborhood, but I found a tag on her, and called the owner who was already frantic. Gave the owner our address while our next door neighbor, Doug, who has a thing for standard Poodles was hoping the owner would get as lost as the dog which was little funny because she did indeed get lost and it took her an hour to find us, all of two miles from home. Cookie and owner are fine. Doug is still heart broken.
RFA Fort Rosalie is the lead ship of her class of Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleet replenishment ships. Fort Rosalie was originally named RFA Fort Grange, but was renamed in May 2000 to avoid confusion with the now-decommissioned RFA Fort George, a change which was not universally popular.
The Persian lime is a triploid cross between Key lime (Citrus × aurantiifolia) and lemon (Citrus × limon).
Although there are other citrus species that are referred to as "limes", the Persian lime is the most widely cultivated lime species commercially, and accounts for the largest share of the fruits sold as limes. The fruit turns yellow as it ripens, but it is universally sold while still green.
www.flickr.com/photos/claudiusbinoche/sets/72157627176264...
Le Palais Curtius est une demeure patricienne situé dans le quartier liégeois de Féronstrée et Hors-Château. Ce Palais est construit entre 1600 et 1610 par Jean De Corte, industriel, marchand et munitionnaire liégeois mais aussi trésorier et fournisseur des armées du roi d'Espagne aux Pays-Bas, universellement connu sous son nom latinisé de Curtius et à qui la principauté de Liège dut l'essor de ses industries au XVIIe siècle.
La maison Curtius, aussi appelée Palais Curtius (nommée ainsi par la population de l'époque impressionnée par les dimensions du bâtiment), est l'exemple le plus représentatif de l'architecture Renaissance dans la région mosane. Elle fut restaurée entre 1904 et 1909.
Elle fait partie du complexe immobilier du musée Grand Curtius et est classée Patrimoine majeur de Wallonie. Le palais est situé au no 13 du quai de Maastricht.
www.flickr.com/photos/claudiusbinoche/sets/72157627176264...
The Curtius Palace is a patrician residence located in the district of Liège Féronstrée and Hors-Château. This Palace was built between 1600 and 1610 by Jean De Corte, industrialist, merchant and munitionnaire of Liège but also treasurer and supplier of the armies of the King of Spain in the Netherlands, universally known by his Latinized name of Curtius and to whom the principality of Liège owed the rise of its industries in the seventeenth century.
The Curtius House, also known as Curtius Palace (so named by the population of the time impressed by the size of the building), is the most representative example of Renaissance architecture in the Meuse region. It was restored between 1904 and 1909.
It is part of the real estate complex of the Grand Curtius Museum and is classified Wallonia's major heritage. The palace is located at No. 13 on the Maastricht wharf.
"A bird almost universally considered “cute” thanks to its oversized round head, tiny body, and curiosity about everything, including humans." Cornell Lab of Ornithology "Mésange à tête noire ", "Carbonero de Gorra Oscura"
The bright yellow color universally represents happiness, sunshine, and cheerfulness.
Giving a yellow dahlia often conveys good wishes, encouragement, or friendship
I found out something today. Asparagus fern, universally detested and loathed by environmental biologists and ecologists when it takes hold in bush habitats, is a prolific flowering plant. Also, the flowers smell sweet and fruity…like warm apricots. These bees were totally engrossed in nectar collection. The lens of my camera was almost touching this bee and it didn’t even care.
No, it's not really going to break (I don't think). I just wanted to use a Led Zeppelin song as a title. It's nice how along this and many other stretches of the rivers, there is a nice walking path on top of the dike.
Fun fact: Although dike and levee are often used interchangeably they really are two distinctly different things. Dikes are made to stop rivers or seas from flooding low lying land which is already permanently a swampy wetland. Levees on the other hand hold back high water rivers from flooding land which is normally dry.
So this is actually a levee even though it is pretty much universally referred to as a dike here.
These cacti were along the Desert Discovery Loop Trail at the Desert Botanical Garden. I believe they are Claret Cup hedgehog cactus - Echinocereus triglochidiatus.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinocereus_triglochidiatus
Echinocereus triglochidiatus is a species of hedgehog cactus known by several common names, including kingcup cactus, claretcup, and Mojave mound cactus. This cactus is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is a resident of varied habitats from low desert to rocky slopes, scrub, and mountain woodland. It is most abundant in shady areas.
A number of varieties of this highly variable cactus species are known, but not all are universally recognized. In general, it is a mounding cactus, forming bulbous piles of a few to hundreds of spherical to cylindrical stems. It is densely spiny and somewhat woolly. The showy flower is a funnel-shaped bloom up to 8-9 cm wide and bright scarlet red to orange-red tepals. A thick nectar chamber and many thready pink stamens are at the center of the corolla. The flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds.
One variety, E. t. arizonicus, is federally listed as an endangered species in the United States.[2] It is limited to the intersection of Arizona and New Mexico in the United States with Mexico.[3] This variety is sometimes included within Echinocereus coccineus.[4]
Desert Botanical Garden has an incredible collection of plants and cacti arranged in a beautiful park setting.
"Think the desert is all dirt and tumbleweeds? Think again. Desert Botanical Garden is home to thousands of species of cactus, trees and flowers from all around the world spread across 55 acres in Phoenix, Arizona."
Desert Botanical Garden
DSC03125 acd
Picture Lake is the centerpiece of a strikingly beautiful landscape in the Heather Meadows area. The classic alpine vista of Mt. Shuksan mirrored in Picture Lake is one of the most photographed mountain scenes in North America. A backdrop of mountains, wildflowers and colorful plant foliage make this a beautiful, universally accessible family hike.
The obelisk was erected in 1739.
The monument is inscribed as follows:
To the Memory of Gregory Wale Esq, Justice of the Peace for this County. Deputy Lieutenant. County Treasurer. Conservator of the River Cam. He lived an advocate for liberty. A good subject. An agreeable companion, a faithful friend, an hospitable neighbour, and in all parts of life a useful member of society. He died June 5th 1739 in the 71st year of his age: universally lamented, and was buried in the parish church of Little Shelford. This obelisk was erected by his surviving friend James Church Esq as a public testimony of his regard to the memory of so worthy a gentleman.
Gregory Wale and James Church used to meet regularly at this place, and they agreed that when one of them died, the survivor should put up a monument to his friend's memory on the very spot where they so often met.
After the death of Gregory Wale, his granddaughter Margot Wale often used to walk up the mount and was very fond of it. At the latter end of her life she would lie at her window and watch her little hill and her friends and the country people got into the habit of calling it "Margot's Mount" and in later years this was corrupted to "Maggot's Mount".
(Explore)
Carrion crow at Yeadon Tarn. Not a bird that is universally popular though I must admit I have a soft spot for all corvids.
A cross section of Anish Kapoor's Orbit tower at the Olympic Park, in Stratford, London.
At 114 metres high, the ArcelorMittal Orbit is Britain's largest piece of public art. Kapoor designed it in conjunction with Arup's Cecil Balmond, and construction was completed in late 2011, in time for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. A slide was later added in 2016. Despite the design being unanimously chosen by a nine-person advisory panel, the tower has never been universally popular, even being nominated for the Carbuncle Cup in 2012.
Sepia, shot with a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor AFS DX 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G lens, and processed in GIMP and Photoscape.
Taken during the Vintage by the Sea festival (Morecambe, September 2023)
www.flickr.com/photos/ianbetley/albums/72177720311252630
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Immediately after World War Two, Britain’s economic mantra was ‘Export or Die’ and it was the car industry that led that export drive; somewhat ironic considering that, in modern Britain, we import 10 times as many cars as we export.
One of the big export success stories was MG, whose T-series sports cars made a massive impact in the USA. The pre-war TA and TB and immediate post-war TC and TD were extremely popular with US servicemen stationed in the UK so, when they went home, they often took their cars with them. On the back of that, a fruitful export market opened up, upon which MG was quick to capitalise. Of the 29,900 TDs made, only 1,656 stayed in the UK with almost 24,000 of the export models going to the USA.
The TD was introduced in 1950 and, while it used the same wooden frame and separate chassis of the TC Midget, it employed the front steering and suspension set-up from the Y-type saloon. This made it a far more agile car to drive, while power came from the same 1,250cc XPAG engines as the previous model; not fast but surprisingly tractable and lively.
The T-type series had started with the TA of June 1936. This was not universally welcomed by MG enthusiasts as it was less sporty than previous Midgets, not least because it had an OHV MPJG engine which was seen as a retrograde step from the earlier overhead cam units.
The TB followed shortly before the outbreak of WW2 with a better engine (the XPAG unit, developed from the all-new Morris XPJM OHV engine) that was capable of considerable tuning, but then came the war and the TB became one of the shortest-lived MGs of all-time.
In 1945, the TB was dusted off, improved with a wider body, shackles for the spring mounts instead of sliding trunnions and relaunched as the TC. MG shifted 10,000 TCs, an impressive figure but one that was nearly tripled by the TDs made from late 1949. It became especially popular in the US market that was becoming so crucial to MG’s success. For one thing, the TD was the first T-type to be available in left-hand-drive while, for another, it had a slightly more spacious cockpit, plus greater comfort thanks to new independent front suspension.
The TD had been created essentially by mating an adapted Y-type chassis with a stretched TC body and an entirely new front end style. The new chassis was not only stiffer than those used on previous T-types, it also brought with it the Y-type’s sparkling new independent front suspension; a design that was to serve MG right up to the demise of the MGB in 1980. Combine this with a steering rack, instead of the earlier cars’ cam-driven steering box, and the handling was improved immeasurably.
The TD got smaller wheels, down from the 19-inch wires of the TC to 15-inch steel rims. This significant visual change made a big difference to how much more modern the antiquated body looked, an illusion aided by wings that were lower profile and more flowing as a result. It was a more art deco look; still very traditional, but a lot more streamlined.
The engine was the same 1250cc XPAG unit as used on the TC, with a few minor detail changes but the same 54bhp power output, later upped to 61bhp thanks to bigger carbs.
Anish Kapoor's Orbit tower at the Olympic Park, in Stratford, London.
At 114 metres high, the ArcelorMittal Orbit is Britain's largest piece of public art. Kapoor designed it in conjunction with Arup's Cecil Balmond, and construction was completed in late 2011, in time for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. A slide was later added in 2016. Despite the design being unanimously chosen by a nine-person advisory panel, the tower has never been universally popular, even being nominated for the Carbuncle Cup in 2012.
Two-shot HDR taken with a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor AFS DX 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G lens, merged in Photomatix, then processed in GIMP and Photoscape.
Cut from the bedrock, the Great Sphinx of Giza is a limestone statue of the mythical creature sphinx with a body of a lion and head of a human in a reclining position. The head of the Sphinx is generally believed to represent Pharaoh Khafre.
The great Sphinx is one of the world's largest and oldest statues, but basic facts about it are still subject to debate like, when and who built it and for what purpose.
It is impossible to know what the creators called this statue as there is no Old Kingdom inscription bearing its name, it’s date of construction or the original purpose. The name 'Sphinx' was given in Classical Antiquity, almost 2000 years after it's accepted albeit controversial date of construction.
Though amidst several conflicting shreds of evidence and viewpoints over the years the common viewpoint held by modern Egyptology is that the Great Sphinx was built by the Pharaoh Khafre during 2500 B.C. The theories put forward by the Egyptologists are not universally accepted and various persons have provided alternative hypotheses about the builder and the period of construction. Few of the Fringe Hypotheses being the 'water erosion hypothesis', 'Orion correlation theory', and the 'hidden chambers hypothesis'.
Psalm 78:15 “He split rocks in the desert, gave water to drink, abundant as the deeps of the sea.”
“To live in a free society is not to live in a perfect society, because perfection is unattainable. The societies which have sought after Utopia have always been totalitarian and have always failed universally. We will not be an exception to that rule.”
Looking up at Anish Kapoor's Orbit tower, at the Olympic Park, in Stratford, London.
At 114 metres high, the ArcelorMittal Orbit is Britain's largest piece of public art. Kapoor designed it in conjunction with Arup's Cecil Balmond, and construction was completed in late 2011, in time for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. A slide was later added in 2016. Despite the design being unanimously chosen by a nine-person advisory panel, the tower has never been universally popular, even being nominated for the Carbuncle Cup in 2012.
Shot with a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor AFS DX 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G lens, merged in Photomatix, then processed in GIMP and Photoscape. Potentially a bit heavy handed with the tone-mapping...
One of the shots I managed to take at Canary Wharf before being asked by a Security Guard to stop taking photos........
This is a B&W conversion of a shot uploaded yesterday, I think this one has a bit more punch at least partly due to the increased contrast I added too.
Click here for more shots of Greenwich and it's peninsula : www.flickr.com/photos/darrellg/albums/72157653462894223
From Wikipedia : "London Docklands is the name for an area in east and southeast London, England. It forms part of the boroughs of Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Newham and Greenwich. The docks were formerly part of the Port of London, at one time the world's largest port. They have now been redeveloped principally for commercial and residential use. The name London Docklands was used for the first time in a government report on redevelopment plans in 1971 but has since become virtually universally adopted. It also created conflict between the new and old communities of the London Docklands."
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The Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus), also known as the common peafowl, and blue peafowl, is a peafowl species native to the Indian subcontinent. It has been introduced to many other countries.
Indian peafowl display a marked form of sexual dimorphism. The peacock is brightly coloured, with a predominantly blue fan-like crest of spatula-tipped wire-like feathers and is best known for the long train made up of elongated upper-tail covert feathers which bear colourful eyespots. These stiff feathers are raised into a fan and quivered in a display during courtship. Despite the length and size of these covert feathers, peacocks are still capable of flight. Peahens lack the train, have a white face and iridescent green lower neck, and dull brown plumage. The Indian peafowl lives mainly on the ground in open forest or on land under cultivation where they forage for berries, grains but also prey on snakes, lizards, and small rodents. Their loud calls make them easy to detect, and in forest areas often indicate the presence of a predator such as a tiger. They forage on the ground in small groups and usually try to escape on foot through undergrowth and avoid flying, though they fly into tall trees to roost.
The function of the peacock's elaborate train has been debated for over a century. In the 19th century, Charles Darwin found it a puzzle, hard to explain through ordinary natural selection. His later explanation, sexual selection, is widely but not universally accepted. In the 20th century, Amotz Zahavi argued that the train was a handicap, and that males were honestly signalling their fitness in proportion to the splendour of their trains. Despite extensive study, opinions remain divided on the mechanisms involved.
The bird is celebrated in Hindu and Greek mythology and is the national bird of India. The Indian peafowl is listed as of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
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The Taj Mahal, meaning "Crown of the Palace" is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan who reigned from 1628 to 1658, to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". It is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of India's rich history. The Taj Mahal attracts 7–8 million visitors a year. In 2007, it was declared a winner of the New7Wonders of the World (2000–2007) initiative.
"In brightest day,
in blackest night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might,
Beware my power...
Green Lantern's light!"
The Green Lantern creed is arguably the most famous oath in comic book history, but its usage has evolved significantly across the Golden Age, Silver Age, and modern continuity:
1. The Standardization of the Creed (Silver Age)
Initial Variations: Alan Scott's first oath (in his 1940 debut) was different, more like a pronouncement:
"And I shall shed my light over dark evil,
For the dark things cannot stand the light.
The light of…the Green Lantern!"
The Hal Jordan Era: When the Green Lantern concept was relaunched in 1959 with Hal Jordan (the first space cop), the iconic 1943 oath was revived and standardized as the official oath for the intergalactic police force, the Green Lantern Corps (GLC). It became universally recognized as the Green Lantern oath.
2. The Purpose of the Creed
The oath has been used in two primary ways:
Recharging: When a Green Lantern needs to recharge their Power Ring by connecting it to their personal Power Battery (Lantern), they recite the oath. The recitation acts as a focusing mantra for the user's willpower and is often used to measure the time it takes for the ring to fully charge.
Affirmation: It serves as a symbolic pledge of commitment to the Corps' ideals: vigilance against evil, fearlessness in the face of darkness, and the power of will.
3. Creating Diverse Oaths (Modern Era)
In modern DC continuity, the use of the oath has been made more flexible and meaningful:
Personalization: While the "In brightest day..." creed is the default, it is not mandatory for all Lanterns.
Many alien Green Lanterns are shown to have crafted unique oaths that reflect their personal beliefs, their home world's philosophy, or their specific challenges.
For example, Rot Lop Fan, a Lantern from a starless sector, replaces the concepts of light and darkness with sound in his oath.
The Emotional Spectrum: The oath's structure became the model for the creeds of all the other Lantern Corps, such as the Sinestro Corps (Yellow/Fear), the Blue Lantern Corps (Hope), and the Red Lantern Corps (Rage).
The Sinestro Corps Oath (created for the villains) is a direct, sinister parallel to the Green Lantern creed:
"In blackest day,
in brightest night,
Beware your fears
made into light.
Let those who try
to stop what's right,
Burn like my power—
Sinestro's might!"
In essence, the "In brightest day..." creed started as one of many options for the Golden Age hero, but was later cemented as the central, iconic tenet of the entire Green Lantern mythology.
⚡ Happy 🎯 Heroclix 💫 Friday! 👽
_____________________________
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
Secret Identity: Hal Jordan
Publisher: DC
First appearance: Showcase #22 (September–October 1959)
Created by: John Broome (Writer)
Gil Kane (Artist)
First appearance cover:
Reciting the creed:
Giuseppe Verdi was an Italian composer and senator. Giuseppe Verdi is universally recognized as one of the most important opera composers and as one of the greatest composers of all time.
It was a fabulous night to be embraced by the Dancers as they coloured the night sky in their fabulous flowing forms. No minute the same as the last as the light ripples and rounds reaching out and pulling back returning in new hue and a replenished splendour. Above the sight, within the brain lifting and the heart following the dance and below the frame of the canvas holding everything both seen and unseen all together in every moment brilliant bright and shadowed night thrilling the soul and joy available at each precise instance and every such sought and unsought experience. Please note this feeling of the awesome character of the Dancing Aurora Borealis is not universally found.
Q. Why did the Aurora Photographer cross the road?
A. To follow the dance through the Constellations of coarse.
It needs work...
These pictures taken with Minolta16mm f2.8 Fisheye lens, Lightroom and other recognition software believes that it is SAL16F28 a Sony 16mm f2.8 Fisheye lens. There are no lens profile adjustments made to the images. Just as I do not make adjustments to the images to be treated as taken by a Sony Lens I do not try to find out how to undo any incorrect attribution. The two lenses could be very similar even near identical, all I know is that this wonder is from Minolta. This description is way too long, is it oft stated if I had more time then I would send better in fewer words?
© PHH Sykes 2024
phhsykes@gmail.com
Cuckoo Bee (Nomada maculata)
The term cuckoo bee is used for a variety of different bee lineages which have evolved the kleptoparasitic behaviour of laying their eggs in the nests of other bees, reminiscent of the behavior of cuckoo birds. The name is perhaps best applied to the apid subfamily Nomadinae, but is commonly used in Europe to mean bumblebees Bombus subgenus Psithyrus. Females of cuckoo bees are easy to recognize in almost all cases, as they lack pollen collecting structures (the scopa) and do not construct their own nests. They often have reduced body hair, abnormally thick and/or heavily sculptured exoskeleton, and saber-like mandibles, although this is not universally true; other less visible changes are also common.
They typically enter the nests of pollen-collecting species, and lay their eggs in cells provisioned by the host bee. When the cuckoo bee larva hatches it consumes the host larva's pollen ball, and, if the female kleptoparasite has not already done so, kills and eats the host larva. In a few cases in which the hosts are social species (e.g., the subgenus Psithyrus of the genus Bombus, which are parasitic bumble bees, and infiltrate nests of non-parasitic species of Bombus), the kleptoparasite remains in the host nest and lays many eggs, sometimes even killing the host queen and replacing her - such species are often called social parasites.
Wikipedia.
The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658) to house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.
Construction of the mausoleum was completed in 1648, but work continued on other phases of the project for another five years. The first ceremony held at the mausoleum was an observance by Shah Jahan, on 6 February 1643, of the 12th anniversary of the death of Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around ₹32 million, which in 2015 would be approximately ₹52.8 billion (US$827 million).
The building complex incorporates the design traditions of Indo-Islamic and Mughal architecture. It employs symmetrical constructions with the usage of various shapes and symbols. While the mausoleum is constructed of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, red sandstone was used for other buildings in the complex similar to the Mughal era buildings of the time. The construction project employed more than 20,000 workers and artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by Ustad Ahmad Lahori, the emperor's court architect.
The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Islamic art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". It is regarded as one of the best examples of Mughal architecture and a symbol of Indian history. The Taj Mahal is a major tourist attraction and attracts more than five million visitors a year. In 2007, it was declared a winner of the New 7 Wonders of the World initiative. The Taj Mahal and its setting, surrounding grounds, and structures are a Monument of National Importance, administered by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Part lighthouse, part fortress, part sacred place of pilgrimage, La Bonne Mère (the Good Mother), as Notre Dame de la Garde is universally and affectionately referred to, is the symbol of Marseille.
Built on the city's highest point, the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde can constantly be glimpsed along streets and through archways of the city.*
*http://www.marvellous-provence.com/marseille/what-to-see/notre-dame-de-la-garde
The Ajanta Caves are rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments dating from the second century BCE to about 480 CE in the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar District of Maharashtra state in India.
They are universally regarded as masterpieces of Buddhist religious art.
They were covered by jungle until accidentally "discovered" and brought to Western attention in 1819 by a colonial British officer Captain John Smith on a tiger-hunting party.
A bird almost universally considered “cute” thanks to its oversized round head, tiny body, and curiosity about everything, including humans. The chickadee’s black cap and bib; white cheeks; gray back, wings, and tail; and whitish underside with buffy sides are distinctive. Its habit of investigating people and everything else in its home territory, and quickness to discover bird feeders, make it one of the first birds most people learn
Construit après le premier Monastère de Bénédictine (1653/1659), acquit plus tard par la municipalité de l'État, il a été restauré avec le lustre d'antan. L'extérieur est simple et austère tandis que l'intérieur se caractérise par ses plafonds très raffinés à caissons en bois peint. Particulièrement décoratifs et précieux les plafonds des Salles des armes, celle des Ordres Militaires et Religieux, celle représentant le blason de duc des Tomasi. Se remarque par son élégance raffinée le plafond de la Salle Angolare décoré de tableaux de la famille Tomasi.
Décrit par Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa dans son célèbre roman "Il Gattopardo" il est universellement connu et admiré. Une visite qui étonne et provoque des émotions, une rencontre avec l'histoire vivante de la ville et de ses fondateurs. Au rez-de-chaussée il y a la bibliothèque municipale "Giovanni Falcone".
Built after the first Benedictine Monastery (1653/1659), later acquired by the state municipality, it has been restored with the chandelier of yesteryear. The exterior is simple and austere while the interior is characterized by its very refined ceilings with painted wooden boxes. Particularly decorative and precious are the ceilings of the Arms Hall, that of the Military and Religious Orders, that representing the coat of arms of the Duke of Tomasi. The Angolare Room ceiling, decorated with paintings by the Tomasi family, stands out for its refined elegance.
Described by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa in his famous novel "Il Gattopardo" he is universally known and admired. A visit that surprises and provokes emotions, a meeting with the living history of the city and its founders. On the ground floor there is the municipal library "Giovanni Falcone".
The Taj Mahl "crown of palaces",is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage".
Taj Mahal is regarded by many as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian and Indian architectural styles.
In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar component of the Taj Mahal, it is actually an integrated complex of structures. The construction began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, employing thousands of artisans and craftsmen. The construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a board of architects under imperial supervision, including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan, Makramat Khan, and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. Lahauri is generally considered to be the principal designer.
Originally taken in September 2016 as one of an HDR set of exposures, the 0EV exposure has now been converted to B&W using Silver Efex Pro 2 and processed using DxO Photolab 4.
The Lloyd's building (sometimes known as the Inside-Out Building) is the home of the insurance institution Lloyd's of London. It is located on the former site of East India House in Lime Street, in London's main financial district, the City of London. The building is a leading example of radical Bowellism architecture in which the services for the building, such as ducts and lifts, are located on the exterior to maximise space in the interior.
Twenty-five years after completion in 1986, the building received Grade I listing in 2011; it was the youngest structure ever to obtain this status. It is said by Historic England to be "universally recognised as one of the key buildings of the modern epoch".
Information from Wikipedia.
A bird almost universally considered “cute” thanks to its oversized round head, tiny body, and curiosity about everything, including humans. The chickadee’s black cap and bib; white cheeks; gray back, wings, and tail; and whitish underside with buffy sides are distinctive. Its habit of investigating people and everything else in its home territory, and quickness to discover bird feeders, make it one of the first birds most people learn.
Shot in Chartres - Eure & Loir - France -
Chartres is universally known for its cathedral listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. For several years "Chartres en Lumières" reveals the cultural and architectural wealth of a city that brightly shines every night from dusk until 1 am.
Comprised of 26 original lighting and video scenographies, this patrimonial path of light will be presented from April 11 till October 10, 2015.
"Lights of Chartres" has become one of the major events in the city, through its spectacular 183 consecutive evenings of light shows... Entirely free !
www.chartresenlumieres.com/en/
Please see this video full screen :
Moving on to six-legged wildlife for the next few days, let's start with the Yellow Dung Fly. I first noticed this species on a forest trail in BC, where two of them were mating atop a pile of bear poop. Gross, by human standards; sweet, if you're a dung fly. I guess.
We have them here on the northern prairie, too. One morning I spotted this fly bubbling alongside a trail. I happened to be carrying my tripod and macro lens, and this allowed me to set up quickly for a shot.
It seems the scientific community is not yet in agreement as to what is going on here. Many fly species regurgitate liquid spit bubbles, just like this. It may be part of the digestion process, or it may be a means of cooling off. Perhaps both.
Our perception of insects is quite variable and often personal. A friend of mine recoiled in horror when I showed him some ultra-close shots of insects that I thought were quite beautiful. Butterflies, on the other hand, are universally accepted as pretty. Dragonflies and damselflies can be positively jewel-like, as can many species of beetle. Eye of the beholder and all that. For me, dung flies fall into the category of "mildly hideous" - a step up from "hideous" - because who doesn't look cute blowing bubbles?
Tomorrow: a truly beautiful fly!
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2024 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
I wish you all a colorful weekend, my friends!
Seen during the trip back from Colca Canyon to Arequipa.
Isn't this a wonderful scenery?
Funny too, that these shoulder bags are universally used for everything ... here as a source of food for the alpacas
Gesehen auf dem Rückweg vom Colca Canyon nach Arequipa.
Ist das nicht eine wunderbare Szene?
Witzig auch, dass diese Umhängetaschen universell für alles genutzt werden...hier als Futterquelle für die Alpacas
These cacti were along the Desert Discovery Loop Trail at the Desert Botanical Garden. I believe they are Claret Cup hedgehog cactus - Echinocereus triglochidiatus.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinocereus_triglochidiatus
Echinocereus triglochidiatus is a species of hedgehog cactus known by several common names, including kingcup cactus, claretcup, and Mojave mound cactus. This cactus is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is a resident of varied habitats from low desert to rocky slopes, scrub, and mountain woodland. It is most abundant in shady areas.
A number of varieties of this highly variable cactus species are known, but not all are universally recognized. In general, it is a mounding cactus, forming bulbous piles of a few to hundreds of spherical to cylindrical stems. It is densely spiny and somewhat woolly. The showy flower is a funnel-shaped bloom up to 8-9 cm wide and bright scarlet red to orange-red tepals. A thick nectar chamber and many thready pink stamens are at the center of the corolla. The flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds.
One variety, E. t. arizonicus, is federally listed as an endangered species in the United States.[2] It is limited to the intersection of Arizona and New Mexico in the United States with Mexico.[3] This variety is sometimes included within Echinocereus coccineus.[4]
Desert Botanical Garden has an incredible collection of plants and cacti arranged in a beautiful park setting.
"Think the desert is all dirt and tumbleweeds? Think again. Desert Botanical Garden is home to thousands of species of cactus, trees and flowers from all around the world spread across 55 acres in Phoenix, Arizona."
Desert Botanical Garden
DSC02963-HDR acd-SharpenAI-Focus
For Lancia, the Aprilia, produced from 1937 - 1949, simultaneously marked the end of one era and the beginning of another. Technologically speaking, this was a supremely refined model, with a load-bearing body, a compact narrow V engine, independent suspension on all four wheels and extremely innovative aerodynamic lines.
During the 1920s, the invention of wind tunnels allowed industrial designers to seek new levels of performance for motor vehicles by improving their aerodynamics. In the United States, “streamline design” was all the rage, a trend for producing sinuous and aerodynamic lines, starting with airplanes, then trains and then cars, increasing their speed but also emphasizing their extravagant stylistic features.
This movement reached Italy in the 1930s when streamlining, a symbol of modernity, inspired the lines of the new Lancia Aprilia. But compared to the American style, Vincenzo Lancia’s trusted designer Battista Falchetto - who had shared the honors for the stunning design of the Lambda - created a car with fewer frills and more concrete lines, aimed at improving aerodynamics. The grille and windscreen were therefore slightly inclined, and the egg shape - considered at the time the most efficient profile from an aerodynamic point of view - gave character to the rear part. The compact and streamlined bonnet was made possible by the small size of the narrow V engine... an authentic concentrate of technology. It consisted of a light alloy monobloc with cast iron barrels, V valves controlled by rockers moved by an overhead camshaft and a hemispherical top on the combustion chamber. With only 1,352 cc it generated 48 HP which, thanks also to a total weight of only 850 kg, plus an excellent aerodynamic coefficient of just 0.47, thrust the Aprilia up to 125 km/h.
The Aprilia was a true Piedmontese aristocrat, refined and precise in every detail. Its famous four pillarless doors, a true Lancia icon, also have an extraordinary curved profile and invisible hinges. The famous click - the sound of the doors closing - underlined the scrupulous attention to the smallest details in design and assembly which typified Lancia’s outstanding modus operandi, providing an unforgettable grace note. The interiors, especially in the Luxury version, featured a classy geometric instrument panel on a grey background with black and white graphics: the square speedometer and clock perfectly matched with the rectangles chosen for the thermometer and the fuel gauge. The Lancia cloth upholstery (available on request in leather), the door panels, the roof covering and the rubber mats were the final touches of a creation which was the closest possible motorcar version of the classic Turin interiors of the period.
Its extremely low weight was mainly due to the load-bearing body: a Lancia patent - first seen in the 1920s on the Lambda - which, by overcoming the classic architecture which kept the chassis and bodywork separate, improved torsional rigidity and significantly reduced volumes. The independent suspension on all four wheels, with rear transversal leaf spring and front coil springs, enabled the Lancia Aprilia to offer road grip and passenger comfort that was much superior to most of its contemporary rivals.
The Lancia Aprilia contained all the most innovative and refined technical solutions that were so dear to Vincenzo Lancia. It constituted a pinnacle of motorcar production, carried out under the direct supervision of the founder of the Turin company. The name of the car came from that of an ancient Lazio town: a characteristic that linked it to its predecessors, the Artena and the Astura.
The Lancia Aprilia was presented to the public at the thirtieth edition of the Paris Motor Show, in October 1936. On February 15, 1937 its creator had a sudden and fatal heart attack, just before the car went into production. He was only 55 years old. Thus the Aprilia became universally seen as the spiritual testament of Vincenzo Lancia, becoming a huge commercial success, which continued even after the adversities of the second World War.
The first series of the Lancia Aprilia was produced from 1937 to 1939 in 10,354 units: a Sedan in standard and Luxury trims, to which were added 4,350 chassis for custom-made versions, on which the best Italian coachbuilders reveled in producing streamlined and elegant spiders and cabriolets. Pinin Farina's aerodynamic coupé was highly original, with its characteristic flattened muzzle, the central position of the 2 + 2 passenger compartment and an elegant tail.
Two years after the start of production, the second series was born, characterized by the increase in displacement to 1,486 cc. The power remained unchanged, but this improved the elasticity of the engine and the maximum speed. Despite a weight increase to 950 kg, it gained 1 km/h. In the decade from 1939-1949, 11,082 sedans were produced plus 2,252 chassis for coachbuilders.
The production of the Aprilia continued - with a further 703 exemplars - even after the Second World War, a period in which the model, despite being almost ten years old, could still be proud of its highly modern mechanics and settings. It held its place in the market right up to the last days of production, and in racing it remained the undisputed dominator of the Tourism class up to 1500 cc for years: it also triumphed in the Mille Miglia of 1947 thanks to its powerful acceleration and peerless road holding.
To this day, more than eighty years after its presentation, the Aprilia is considered a timeless pioneering car which, by gathering all the best of Lancia’s innovative philosophy, inaugurated a new era in motoring. Vincenzo Lancia was usually hypercritical about his cars, but after test driving the Aprilia prototype he spontaneously exclaimed: "What a magnificent car!".
Article credit: Heritage
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, preparation for Christmas begins on the First Sunday of Advent and it is followed by Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts twelve days and culminates on Twelfth Night. Christmas Day is a public holiday in many countries, is celebrated religiously by a majority of Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians, and forms an integral part of the holiday season surrounding it.
There are different hypotheses regarding the date of Jesus's birth. In the early fourth century, the church fixed the date as December 25, the date of the winter solstice in the Roman calendar. It is nine months after Annunciation on March 25, also the Roman date of the spring equinox. Most Christians celebrate on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar, which has been adopted almost universally in the civil calendars used in countries throughout the world. However, part of the Eastern Christian Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25 of the older Julian calendar, which currently corresponds to January 7 in the Gregorian calendar. For Christians, believing that God came into the world in the form of man to atone for the sins of humanity rather than knowing Jesus's exact birth date is considered to be the primary purpose of celebrating Christmas.
Kyiv University or Shevchenko University or officially the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
The university is universally recognized as the most prestigious university of Ukraine, being the largest national higher education institution. KNU is ranked within top 650 universities in the world. It is the third oldest university in Ukraine after the University of Lviv and University of Kharkiv. Currently, its structure consists of fifteen faculties (academic departments) and five institutes. It was founded in 1834 by the Russian Tsar Nikolai as the Kiev Imperial University of Saint Vladimir, and since then it has changed its name several times.
The University is renamed after Taras Shevchenko, a major figure in Ukrainian literature and art. It is an institution of higher education that trains specialists in many fields of knowledge and carries out research. It is considered the most prestigious university in Ukraine and a major centre of advanced learning and progressive thinking. It consists of more faculties and departments, and trains specialists in a greater number of academic fields, than any other Ukrainian educational institution.
The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658) to house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.
Construction of the mausoleum was completed in 1648, but work continued on other phases of the project for another five years. The first ceremony held at the mausoleum was an observance by Shah Jahan, on 6 February 1643, of the 12th anniversary of the death of Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around ₹32 million, which in 2015 would be approximately ₹52.8 billion.
The building complex incorporates the design traditions of Indo-Islamic and Mughal architecture. It employs symmetrical constructions with the usage of various shapes and symbols. While the mausoleum is constructed of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, red sandstone was used for other buildings in the complex similar to the Mughal era buildings of the time. The construction project employed more than 20,000 workers and artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by Ustad Ahmad Lahori, the emperor's court architect.
The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Islamic art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". It is regarded as one of the best examples of Mughal architecture and a symbol of Indian history. The Taj Mahal is a major tourist attraction and attracts more than five million visitors a year. In 2007, it was declared a winner of the New 7 Wonders of the World initiative. The Taj Mahal and its setting, surrounding grounds, and structures are a Monument of National Importance, administered by the Archaeological Survey of India.
The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658) to house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.
Construction of the mausoleum was completed in 1648, but work continued on other phases of the project for another five years. The first ceremony held at the mausoleum was an observance by Shah Jahan, on 6 February 1643, of the 12th anniversary of the death of Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around ₹32 million, which in 2015 would be approximately ₹52.8 billion.
The building complex incorporates the design traditions of Indo-Islamic and Mughal architecture. It employs symmetrical constructions with the usage of various shapes and symbols. While the mausoleum is constructed of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, red sandstone was used for other buildings in the complex similar to the Mughal era buildings of the time. The construction project employed more than 20,000 workers and artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by Ustad Ahmad Lahori, the emperor's court architect.
The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Islamic art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". It is regarded as one of the best examples of Mughal architecture and a symbol of Indian history. The Taj Mahal is a major tourist attraction and attracts more than five million visitors a year. In 2007, it was declared a winner of the New 7 Wonders of the World initiative. The Taj Mahal and its setting, surrounding grounds, and structures are a Monument of National Importance, administered by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Here at the end of the first day of 2025, I just want to thank everyone for their generosity and kindness.
Putting art out into the world can be a risky venture. The Flickr community has been universally supportive and welcoming.
I wish everyone all the best for 2025.
Cheers.
déjà vu (paramnesia)
Definition
The term "déjà vu" (French for "already seen", also called paramnesia) describes the experience or feeling that one has witnessed or experienced a new situation previously or has uncanny recognition and familiarity in a new place.
Some theories
A number of different theories have attempted to explain déjà vu, but the exact cause is still unknown. Mental health professionals continue to debate the precise cause of déjà vu, but most agree it is essentially an anomaly of memory. Memory is notoriously unreliable, and because people can remember things that did not actually happen, they may also feel familiar with things with which they have no familiarity. In some cases, there may be an issue with the interplay between long- and short-term memory. Current experiences are held in working or short-term memory, but the mind may perceive them as being part of the long-term memory. Sensory experiences can also contribute to déjà vu. For example, smelling a familiar smell or hearing a familiar sound can cause some people to feel that an entire situation is familiar. Highly emotional experiences may also activate feelings of déjà vu.
The frequency
The déja vu phenomenon is not a universally experienced phenomenon but is still very common. About two thirds of the population experiences a déjà vu at least once in their life. It is also highly likely that individuals who have ever experienced a déjà vu have experienced it more than once, whereas only one experience in a lifetime is much less common. The relative frequency of déjà vu experiences, i.e. among subjects who have experienced at least one déjà vu in their lifetime, decreases with age, with the exception of teenagers. The frequency peaks in young adults and then consistently decreases for older subjects.
Who is likely to experience déjà vu?
1. People who travel more often, experience déjà vu more frequently.
2. Young people experience déjà vu more. From the onset of déjà vu (between the ages of 8 to 11 years old), the frequency of déjà vu increases until young adulthood (aged 18-25), after which the incidence decreases with age.
Déjà vu and Spirituality
What about Déjà vu’s in which the person recalls experiencing the exact situation before. This goes beyond a familiar sound, smell or visual. It is an exact duplicate event. These particular deja vu experiences raise the question of alternative possibilities related to a sixth sense or extra sensory perception of events.
Top four theories of a deja vu from a spiritual perspective:
1. Past Life Experiences-the concept of cellular memory
2. Ancestral Lineage Memories triggered by an event
3. Clairvoyant dream about a future event-think Cassandra from Greek Mythology who had a premonition about the fall of Troy
4. Vibrational Frequency Match to a person or place-the laws of attraction.
The Lloyd's building is the home of the insurance institution Lloyd's of London. It is located on the former site of East India House in Lime Street, in London's main financial district, the City of London. The building is a leading example of radical Bowellism architecture in which the services for the building, such as ducts and lifts, are located on the exterior to maximise space in the interior.
The building was designed by the architect company Richard Rogers & Partners and built between 1978 and 1986. Like the Pompidou Centre in Paris (designed by Renzo Piano and Rogers), the building was innovative in having its services such as staircases, lifts, ductwork, electrical power conduits and water pipes on the outside, leaving an uncluttered space inside. The 12 glass lifts were the first of their kind in the United Kingdom. Like the Pompidou Centre, the building was highly influenced by the work of Archigram in the 1950s and 1960s.
In 2011, twenty-five years after its completion in 1986 the building received Grade I listing; at this time it was the youngest structure ever to obtain this status. It is said by Historic England to be "universally recognised as one of the key buildings of the modern epoch".
The Lloyd's building is 88 metres (289 ft) to the roof, with 14 floors. On top of each service core stand the cleaning cranes, increasing the overall height to 95.10 metres (312 ft). Modular in plan, each floor can be altered by addition or removal of partitions and walls.
Lloyds considered vacating the building in 2014. Lloyd's former chief executive Richard Ward stated: "There is a fundamental problem with this building. Everything is exposed to the elements, and that makes it very costly."